Damien Hirst - vendere e comprare opere
7 June 1965, Bristol (UK)
The British sculptor and painter Damien Hirst is one of the highest-earning contemporary artists worldwide. His success and fame stem in particular from his provocative work, such as a tiger shark immersed in formaldehyde and a diamond-studded skull.
Born on 7 June 1965 in Bristol, Hirst grew up in the northern English city of Leeds. When he was 12 years old, his father abandoned the family. His mother, an Irish Catholic, brought Hirst up very strictly. This is possibly the reason why he came into contact with holy images from an early age. He took an interest in particular in the depictions of Biblical torture scenes. From 1986–1989, Hirst studied at Goldsmiths College in London, where he enrolled in a fine arts course and learnt painting as well as sculpting. In 1988, he curated an exhibition for the first time, which took place in a disused storage facility in the London docks area. 'Freeze' was a great success and paved Hirst's way into the art scene. At the same time, this exhibition was considered the birth of the 'Young British Artists' group. His second exhibition followed in 1990 under the title 'Modern Medicine'. In 1995, Hirst was awarded the Turner Prize at the Venice Biennale.
Damien Hirst's work deals with the themes of death, the past and religion. He became popular with animals immersed in formaldehyde, in particular with 'The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living' from 1991, which involved a stuffed tiger shark. The diamond-studded skull entitled 'For the Love of God' polarised the art world from the very beginning. At the Venice Biennale 2017, Hirst emerged on the scene once again after a hiatus to exhibit his "Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable".